Trainer
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Rebecca Carr-Hopkins
The Infant CARE-Index – online training -December 2025 – March 2026
The Infant CARE-Index (ICI, Crittenden, 1981) is the simplest and most versatile of the assessments tied to the DynamicMaturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM). It assesses parent-infant interaction from birth to about 15 months of age based on a 3-minute video-recorded play interaction. It does not assess attachment and captures the best of dyad’s functioning (rather than capturing the dyad’s response to stress, i.e. attachment).
The ICI has extensive published validating evidence and is a useful, portable tool for a wide range of Health and Social Care professionals whose work involves assessing and mounting interventions to improve parent-infant interaction. It can be used with families form all backgrounds and cultures, including those with infants with developmental problems.
The Scales
- Are highly correlated with the infant Strange Situation assessment patterns of attachment
- Differentiate abusing from neglecting, abusing and neglecting, marginally maltreating, and adequate dyads
- Can be used during intervention, and
- Can be used to assess the effectiveness of intervention.
The course is taught in English online via Zoom in 12 teaching sessions spread over several months.
The course is taught by video and depends on observations of both adult and infant behaviour. Non-verbal behaviour, interpersonal strategies, and developmental processes are emphasised.
Adult patterns consist of sensitivity, controlling and unresponsivity; the infant patterns are cooperative, difficult, compulsive and passive. The information derived from the CARE-Index can be used as quasi-continuous or categorical data by researchers. In addition, however, the procedure is easily applied to “live” observations made by nurses, infant teachers, clinicians, and social workers. Needless to say, such observations cannot be treated as reliable when video is not used, but the method is effective in the same way that other guided observations or interviews are. Furthermore, specific training of what to look for sharpens both one’s observation and one’s ability to tell others exactly what the dyad did and why it should be interpreted in a particular manner.
Hourly Schedule
Monday 15th, Tuesday 16th, Wednesday 17th & Thursday 18th of December 2025
- 10.30 am - 3pm
Monday 2nd, Tuesday 3rd, Wednesday 4th, Thursday 5th of February 2026
- 10.30 am - 3pm
Monday 23rd, Tuesday 24th, Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th of March 2026
- 10.30am - 3pm